Two years after a deadly fire killed two sisters in the Hamptons, the owners of the short-term rental pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the blaze.
This week, Peter Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of criminally negligent homicide, a Class E felony that could result in a sentence of up to eight years in state prison, as well as fines, according to New York State penal code. Pamela Miller pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor that could be punishable with up to one year in state prison. They were arrested last week and are due back in court in November, Patch reported.
The fire occurred during the early morning hours of an early August 2022 day. It killed Jillian Wiener, 21, and Lindsay Wiener, 19.
The short-term rental was widely advertised online and the Maryland family of five decided to go there on vacation, as the father had been diagnosed with cancer. The night of the fire, they tried using an outdoor charcoal grill, which failed to cook their food, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney. Then, overnight, a fire erupted in the outdoor kitchen.
The parents escaped the fire, as did their son, who jumped from a second-floor window to escape the intense heat. The father, who died earlier this year, attempted to go back in and rescue his daughters, but sustained burns to his feet and was forced out by the blaze.
When personnel arrived on the scene, the house was fully engulfed in flames. Officials said the sisters were found unresponsive and were pronounced dead at a hospital.
The hosts of the short-term rental were charged with 29 code violations apiece. Among the issues were the construction of an outdoor kitchen without a permit, dangerous electrical wiring, a lack of functional fire alarms — none reportedly sounded during the incident — and failure to apply for and obtain a rental permit.
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“We take all matters involving housing regulations very seriously, as they are crucial for public safety,” the Suffolk County DA said in a statement. “If you have a rental home, you have a duty to make sure that it is safe.”
The lawyer representing the homeowners did not comment on the guilty pleas.